July 2013 - Part 1. Remember your pelvic floor exercises!

[TotallyEggFlipped]

Time to start the post-natal thread.

And start those PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES!

Keep cross posting oops! Totally M is like that, she used to settle well on her own but over the last week she has to be held until she's in a deep sleep, if I try to put her down before she's awake & won't settle at all, then have to pick her up & try to settle her again.

Ah, Phie that's got to be really hard to deal with on top of everything else, well done for persevering. I have been told by experienced bfers that a dual vest system is good, though given how hot I/we get that will also be challenging!

Fast letdown sounds hilarious I hope washing machines keep up with all this fun!

Thanks princessllama - I'm hoping against hope that I'm wrong and its something else going on with j but there is something not right here - after not sleeping last night it took me 2 and a half hours to get j to sleep in his cot this morning (and he slept for 2 hours then woke wailing) and I've just spent an hour of him falling asleep on me and waking as soon as I put him down. To top everything off I have HV appt with our useless hvs now to look forward to which will be fun, fun, fun.

dinky my ds3 had silent reflux, lots of discomfort during and mostly after feeds, hated lying flat, fed loads and gained weight v well. GP referred us and it was agreed silent reflux, ranitidine settled things pretty well. Might be worth looking into?

Afternoon. what's with these babies?! Another washing machine here that's been on all day! F has turned into Velcro baby. I literally cannot put her down without her screaming blue murder. Not in the Moses, the bouncy chair, swing, floor - nothing. She likes the sling (close carrier) but I can't wear it all the time. Any other suggestions?

Had our 6 week check and she's doing fine. Didn't weigh her but she's just about grown out of her early baby clothes and now into newborn. She's getting much more alert and grumpy these past few days but on the whole she is a dream. Not at all like the others. We have taken to properly co sleeping (hope I'm doing it safely, can't remember how tiny dd1 was when we started) and she feeds every three hours or so overnight so that's bearable. Definitely planning a bigger bed! Having few issues with dd1 though, bedtime getting unsettled and she wants me all the time again. also keeps talking about me being in hospital and that I'm home now. She has speech delay so you can't always tell what's going on in her mind, but she's obviously been worried about it all.

And as for me, GP announced that I have pnd . Have said that I would get to September and re assess how I'm feeling then, before I decide on treatment. As I can't tell how much is down to the birth, and how much is just due to adjusting to looking after three children with the summer hols on top. I don't feel physically back to normal yet either, and I'm unhappy that I don't look or feel like my old self. I'm sure I will be ok. Just not sure how to get there at the moment.

Love reading all your stories of being out and about with your babies. had a disastrous attempt at shopping the other day. F screamed so much in pram that I ended up carrying her about in my arms. Got stopped by practically every older woman to chat and didn't get a thing done!

Dinky dd1 also had silent reflux, hated being flat, fed a lot which soothed her but made her worse. Might be worth looking into? She is also dairy intolerant though so things did improve when I cut out dairy, which you've already tried -though I think it can take a month for it to leave your milk? check that though, may have mis-remembered! Am hoping that F isn't going to have same issue as she's not overly keen on being flat either...

Hi ladies.

On top of a 5wk baby seemingly constantly attached to my boob my period has already started.

Mother nature seems a bit unfair

Quin! Already?! That's just not fair!

N still hasn't slept today. Going to take her out for a drive to collect DD1 from nursery, so hopefully she'll sleep in the car and not just wail the whole way there and back.

shelley - DD1 has become v unsettled & clingy too. Keeps saying "I want you, Mummy" when I'm right next to her, or asking for cuddles during dinner. She's had a fairly unsettled few weeks though, not just due to the arrival of a little sister.
I had a horrible trip to sainsburys when DD1 was tiny. Got half way round before she started crying and would only stop whilst I was holding her. Not much good for pushing a big trolley. Managed to get all the shopping but had to put her back in the seat at the checkout. Quick as a flash 2 employees came over - one loaded my shopping and the other packed while I comforted DD1. They even brought my shopping to the car and loaded it up!

Phie - ignore the dirty looks. Just tell yourself they're jealous of your gorgeous baby/expanded norks/milky vomit top

shelley can you call in your parents to give you a helping hand, or just have an hr to yourself when your dh comes home. I remember you found finding childcare nearby tricky when you were preparing to give birth but Im worried both you, dinky and you other super mums with more than one child will tire yourselves out, esp when babies arent sleeping

was the hv any help at all dinky?

I've been worried about reflux too as share many of same issues but now thinking maybe itsjust the norm. j won't go on back (I've broken all the rules and let him co sleep on his side),.gets atrocious wind, screams part way through a feed, has curdled sick, dry gulps etc I'm not sure if its reflux, over supply or just being 4 weeks old. no idea about weight gain as he was last weighed at 10 days old..doesnt look gaunt or anything thou

phie well done for feeding out and about. ignore those who stare. they prob are just fascinated by the baby, nothing to.do with age. I can't do it yet . my mil was just in fits watching me try to feed under a blanket but I really feel uncomfortable...which is daft as.its so natural

Ah thanks cheek but we only have my mum, who actually helps when she can but she still works pretty much full time. She does phone at least once a day to check up on me and she is aware now of what the doctor said. She's not that well herself so I don't like to worry her too much. She does love having the children though so may see if she had plans for the weekend.
And I may have three children but super mum I am not!

Thanks Shelley and Thinking - I mentioned silent reflux to HV whose useful response was keep him upright and tummy time - all of which I'm doing. I have my 6 week check next Friday so will speak to gp about it then. All the feeding has at least done something - at 5 and a half weeks he's 11 lbs 6.

Totally - J is being a sleep refusnik today - just had hour walk with him which would normally send him off into a big fat nap but yes awake and grizzling already. Here's hoping for lots of sleep tonight for everyone! Those supermarket staff sound like angels in disguise.

Shelley - big hugs. I hope you start to feel abit better when school is back in September and life settles into a routine and dd1 feels more secure.

Quinn - definitely not fair that AF has arrived!

Phie - ignore those dirty looks. Its your body, your baby and your choice x

Phie just smile at them and say I know she's (sure you have a girl?!) beautiful isn't she!
Shelley glad you spoke to your GP, I just about get sorted each day with one baby must be exhausting with 3 children. Theo has Velcro baby days I just go with it and put him in the sling!
Quinn that's really rubbish!
Those of you with reflux babies I've noticed Theo seems a bit more settled and slept better during the day since I took him out of his pram into pushchair with his slightly sat up.
We has a good night last night woke at 4 then 7am, dozed back off after that feed too although we also co-slept with theo on his side!
Excited that we are going for our 1st swim tomorrow. Theo loves baths so hoping he enjoys swimming, and taking my mum to help with the 'land' bit

N hasn't slept all day apart from very briefly in the car. Lots of crying. She's so overtired. I have a feeling I'm in for a difficult evening. I don't really believe my mum's theory that she'll just crash out and sleep even better for not napping.

I've been ravenous and craving carbs all day. Had breakfast and lunch twice.

dinky I hope your GP is more helpful than the HV. Great going on the weight gain.

Glad you had a better night, Beginning. Have fun swimming tomorrow. I always find the 'land' side tricky when they're small. Great that you've got some help. When we do venture to the pool I'll definitely be dragging my mum along.

Theo just crashed out on my shoulder after crying on and off for the past 90 mins, really sad cry, very refluxy and sick twice. Tried tummy massage etc but could clearly see the pain coming in waves! Definitely need to go back to gp tomorrow! Fingers crossed its gone now he's been sick!

Seems like this non sleeping/needing to be picked up is catching! Elka hardly sleeps in the day now, just wants to watch everyone and everything. She gets snatches of sleep (whilst I did some washing up, one handed holding her) but I think I need a carrier... Broken ribs and holding a newborn is not fun.

shelley you poor thing, how things get better soon. You sound amazing at coping with the kids though, I couldn't have any more!

Phie, maybe the other 19 year olds are curious? I get v embarrassed and curious looks from people that age- alot of them have probably not seen anyone bf up close, when you get older all your friends around you have done it and you get used to seeing it. I remember being curious and trying not to stare. when i was feeding out in public it made me feel vulnerable and it made me think people were giving me looks. Now i am bottle feeding i feel like people are judging me too- cant win can you! Fwiw i think you are doing amazingly if you dont have friends your own age doing the same. They'll all be coming to you for advice when they have babies

Also, hello nexus, welcome

So my night wasn't as bad as I expected! I boobed N into a milky coma and transferred her to the cot. First attempt didn't work, but second time round was a success. She woke again at 12, 3:30 and 6:30. Unfortunately DD1 woke very upset at 12 and has been in my bed since then. I'd forgotten how much she wriggles in her sleep, at one point her feet were on the pillow. She was wide awake from 3:30-4:30, trying to convince me to play with her teddy bear.

Off to visit friends today. Hoping N will sleep in the car & DD1 wont turn into a monster without her nap (or will sleep on the way home).

I hope there's more sleep and less crying for everyone today.

Good luck with your trip Totally. Slightly better night last night too - 3 and a half hour sleep followed by waking every hour and a half. Got to take those silver linings where you find them!

Currently sat is hospital with J asleep on me waiting for ds2 to go for a minor op. Hes taking it all in his stride so far..

Good luck to ds2 dinky, hope all is ok with the op

Sympathies to all those with reflux issues and Velcro babies, a sling sounds like the best way to manage to get something other than feed done. we seem to be gradually getting into a bit of a routine here which is good for my sanity. Weeks of desperately trying to wake A up when she clearly would rather have been asleep means that she is now doing the bulk of her sleeping at night and just having a few naps in the day. Means I'm still having to plan when we go out to avoid too much car sleeping but was definitely the right option for us. Still up a couple of times in the night but at least she settles ok after she's fed.

beginning swimming sounds great, can they start anytime or are we supposed to wait to six weeks or for jabs, cant remember what I've been told.

phie agree with princess that its easy to be paranoid about what people are thinking about you but generally it's not nearly as bad as what you imagine. You're fully entitled to breast or bottle feed while out and about and the more you do it the easier it'll get.

shelley sending big hugs, hope things start getting easier and you feel better soon

Making a trip to London today on the train, mildly terrified but only way I'll get to see any of my working friends for a while is if I make the effort so hoping it will go ok.

I feel paranoid giving a bottle in public too princess, its so stupid but I feel like I'm being judged!

The main thing I feel odd about bfing in public is that because I went to a massive school I know many many people (there were 340 in each year and 3,000 in the whole school) so I often bump into people who are 'acquaintances' so it feels sort of awkward anyway without a breast hanging out!.

Also not looking forward to bumping into exboyfriends hahaha

lancs apparently you don't need to wait for the 1st vaccinations now to go swimming, however Theo has had his.
Just back from gp had meds increased so hopefully will get back on top of reflux. After having the whole waiting room looking at me as I walked in carrying Theo before someone asked how old he is, his name etc then talking about us/babies I've decided people are generally being nice and just can't help looking at my gorgeous boy rather than judging

phie good on you, just ignore the stares.

Quinn how annoying!!

dinky hope ds2's op goes ok and j behaves

Shelley it's good you have spoken to GP and dm hopefully end of school holidays will help

totally hope journey is ok

A friend was visiting me yesterday and got stuck in traffic due to (fatal) car accident, her baby screamed for ages and I felt so bad for her. Dh was stuck in same jam (coming the opposite way and it took him 3.5 hours to get home instead of 30min. Very sad when a life is lost like that though.

Hv yesterday, m now 10 13 and still on 91st centile but when I spoke to her re poor latch / windy she checked for tongue tie and she thinks there is a bit, and is referring us. She also checked upper lip and noticed it is attached very low down to gum line and wonders if this is also part if the problem. Not heard of this before, has anyone else come across this??
Another unsettled night here, roll on weekend so I can catch up on some sleep!

thinking I've heard of an upper lip tie recently...only because lactation consultant mentioned it when I had A's tongue tie snipped 2 wks ago..

She says it can be corrected via laser but I think only privately &' its not very pleasant apparently.

Someone on the fb group posted a good article about this very thing & how it can affect latching etc...can't remember posters nickname tho...but here is the link to the article.
thefunnyshapedwoman.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/introducing-maxillary-labial-frenulum.html?m=1